This blog talks about my own experience in my various jobs and other observations

Monday, November 11, 2013

arts-harish-jan 12

WOODWORK

Making articles out of woodwork have come a long way from being a hobby some few years ago
to now when it has become a potent activity in one’s endeavour to decorate
one’s home. This activity not only keeps one occupied gainfully, but also saves
money by helping them decorate their own homes. The demand for wooden furniture
has reached new peaks, leading to the introduction of many new modular
furniture vendors in the market. These
modular furniture vendors fabricate their furniture pieces in their factories,
bring them to site in their loose condition and assemble the loose pieces at
site.

But, making woodwork furniture at home from
bare wooden sections shaves off a lot of expenditure from the budget of a home
décor project. Not only is modular woodwork
furniture more costly, but it also has a long lead time. This is however not
the case with furniture items prepared at site by the carpenter. In order to obtain good and stylish wooden
items one needs the services of a skilful carpenter who is well versed with his
craft. Just buying two bare wooden
pieces from the market and joining them to make a piece of wooden furniture is
no big deal.

What requires more skill and patience is
preparing woodwork furniture items
based on blueprints prepared by the designer. There are a lot of websites on
the internet which offer a plethora of design options to make sucharticles. These articles can range from the humble side
table to the more design intensive wardrobes, etc.

WOOD
ART

Wood is considered to be a very holy
material in the Indian context. Wood of all types ranging from the expensive
teakwood, sandalwood, and rosewood to the relatively cheap Burma Teak is widely
used to make many items be it of furniture or sculptures. These items were
originally handcrafted by skilful craftsmen in their workshops using their
carpentry tools. These items are made to
depict the rich Indian culture. These wood
art items are widely used in decorating homes, gifting items for loved
ones, souvenirs of special occasions. The most expensive of woods Sandalwood,
is used in the making of wooden artefacts for locals and tourists alike. Shivanwood, a cheap substitute for the more
expensive Sandalwood, is used for slightly lower uses than mentioned for
Sandalwood.

Rosewood, found in abundance in the regions
of Karnataka and Mysore, has made these regions the centre for rosewood
carvings since the medieval times. This wood is sometimes also used to make wood art items like high end wooden
furniture. This wood is also used to make the idols of the Hindu gods and
goddesses and therefore is found in furniture present in large residences,
palaces, hotels and religious places.
Due to its dense grain structure, this wood is considered to be very strong
and durable. Sheesham, another variety of wood, found in Saharanpur in North
India, is probably the strongest variety of wood available in the market. For
this reason, it finds application in the making of furniture items which are
going to be traditionally carved and engraved.

WOOD
WALL ART

The art of interior designing and
decoration has gained more importance in the recent years thanks to the
emphasis on external looks rather than a strong structure. Having a decorative
living room or bedroom is every homeowners dream. Wood wall art forms an integral part of such design schemes. The demand for exquisite pieces of wall arthas fuelled the demand for ready readymade
wooden items which adorn the walls of homes. But buying such readymade wall art
items requires a special skill and the resources to match. Selecting good wall
art is a skill.

Good wood
wall art décor items handpicked by homeowners with an impeccable taste for
such items, gives the stylish edge required in a contemporary design. The
popularity of these items is evident from the variety of designs that are on
offer in the market. Not only do these
items cover a bare wall, but they also provide an alternative to framed
photographs. This is thanks to their large size. On offer are a variety of
styles, designs and shapes right from the vinyl type which are durable and easy
to wash, to the canvas style items. They tend to make the wall more decorative.

But the best items of wall art are the wood wall art items. Not only are these
items pretty affordable, but they can also substitute photo frames on walls, providing
the room that touch of nature. But selecting a stylish and designer piece of wall
art piece is something that not everybody is adept at.

INDIAN
SCULPTURES

The inception of Indian sculptures can be traced back to the Indus Valley
Civilisation, which existed in the second and the third millennium. This era
was responsible for many stone, terracotta and bronze sculptures that still
adorn various important monuments in the country. However, wooden sculptures
also occupy a very important space in traditional sculptures. Since most of the
wooden sculptures and statues are from Karnataka, this region has become well
known for sandalwood sculptures made from the tree of sandalwood. Apart from
these the wood from the Shivani trees is also used to make wooden sculptures.
Wood from this tree also enjoys more popularity among the locals for the making
of traditional sculptures. Rosewood is another type of wood used in sculptures.

Like stone, wood
and terracotta, bronze is another metal that has been predominantly used in
making sculptures. Bronze as a metal has touched several cultures all over the
world for many centuries. Like these cultures, it has affected the Indian
culture too. Bronze Indian sculptures
are a prominent part of sculptures. This connection dates back to almost 3000
years, but it has not ended yet. Bronze is still associated with the making of
metal statues of Indian gods and goddesses. Also famous are terracotta
sculptures. Terracotta represents the first creative expression of Indian art.
It was man’s first attempt at craftsmanship. By nature, terracotta is a
ceramic, which means “baked earth” or “fired earth”. The story of pottery and
sculptures began with this material. Ever since, it has been closely associated
with the making of sculptures.

BRASS
SCULPTURES

India as a country is very rich in
monuments and sculptures. Traditional Indian sculptures created by skilful
Indian craftsmen have made a name for India in the world market. The materials
which are used in the making of these sculptures are stone, wood, terracotta,
bronze and brass. Brass sculptures
are not very commonly found in India. Brass has been used as a material for
crafting spice boxes of spice besamin of various sizes and shapes. Spice
besamin is very widely used in Jewish culture right from its inception in
ancient times. These sculptures are also found in the pure elegance and grace
of imperial finished work. Imperial finished work is nothing but the process
designed to enhance the finish of a finely crafted piece.

The use of these sculptures dates back to
World War II, when brass was used as a material in making trains by the
Japanese craftsmen who were producing replicas of the HO Model Trains. This
manufacture of train models continued in Japan right up to the 1970s. It was
after this that the brass sculptures
made in the form of HO Trains were being collected by connoisseurs as a symbol
of posterity during the old times. Slowly and surely, such sculpted items were
turned into collectors items by people sensed that they had lost their value in
the market. Many metal wall art sculptures are nothing but sculptures carved
out of brass. These metal pieces create a visually enchanting experience that
can be compared only to a painting.

BUDDHIST
SCULPTURES

India as a country is known worldwide for
its rich heritage, history and culture. It is due to its rich history that it
has the most number of monuments in the country. Due to these monuments, India
is still being considered favourably as a tourist destination by people from
all over the world. One of the well known items worth visiting in India is the Buddhist sculptures. The origin of
these Buddhist sculptures can be traced back to the time of the Emperor
Chandragupta Maurya, in the third century BC.
This king built 85,000 stupas (dome shaped monuments) in the country in
an attempt to spread the teachings of the Buddha in the country. The distinguishing feature of these monuments
was that its pillars were engraved with Buddhist teachings.

For example, “The Great Sanchi Stupa” at
Sanchi, is 44 feet high having remarkably carved gateways, which illustrate
Buddhist legends. So also the “Ashok Pillar” in Samarth in Madhya Pradesh, is
an example of a flawless model exhibiting the superior design concepts of the
Early art of India since its inception. Also noteworthy, are the well known
“Buddhist marvels” which were created over a period of 14 centuries, “The
Ajanta and Ellora “temples carved out of live rocks and cliffs, boasting of
colossal sculptures of animals and gods, paintings depicting the ancient
Buddhist lives through its Buddhist
sculptures. There are other noteworthy relics of the ancient times which
bring out the rich culture and heritage of the country, but the Buddhist
sculptures take the cake in their superior mudras.

HINDU
SCULPTURES

Traditionally, India has been a country
rich in natural resources. It is also very well known for its beautiful
sculptures and paintings. For quite some time now, the Asian art figure has
been looked at with awe and respect worldwide. Hindu sculptures majorly depict the gods and the goddesses of the
country. The early Indian sculptures
dating back to the second and third millennium, during the Indus Valley
civilisation, mainly depict these sculptures at their best. The Indus Valley
civilisation was known to have sculpted some of the most exquisite stone,
terracotta or bronze sculptures to depict their gods and goddesses. These sculpturescreated during the reign of the Emperor Ashoka, during the third
century BC, cannot be ignored when we talk on this topic.

So also the “Ashoka Pillar” at Samarth in
Madhya Pradesh, which exhibits Hindu
sculptures at their best. This work of art exhibits the flawless
workmanship of the craftsmen of that era. This monument depicts the superiority
and fineness of the traditional Hindu sculptures, since its inception. Also
noteworthy are the Hindu sculptures of the Khajuraho temple which were created
in the tenth to eleventh century AD, and went into oblivion thereafter. They
were then rediscovered by some archaeologists in Madhya Pradesh. But, then only
22 of the total 85 temples created at that time could be restored to their
original position. By the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries AD, these sculpturesmanifested themselves in the
sculptures of Hindu deities such as Lord Vishnu, Lord Krishna, The Sun God, and
Goddess Durga.

NEPALESE
SCULPTURES

India has been a land of superior natural
resources and a rich history and tradition of religious practices and
religions. So also are other countries like Nepal, Bhutan, etc. Like India,
Nepal too followed the practice of Idol worship. Therefore many Nepalese sculptures would be made to
depict the gods and goddesses of the region.

The earliest inhabitants of the Nepal
Valley were the Krats around the 8th century BC. Although, this
tribe contributed significantly to the history of the country, it was the Mewar
community, following the Krats that provided the country with an identity
traditionally. It was during this time that Lumbini became the birthplace of
the Lord Buddha. Therefore, there still exists a definite Buddhist influence in
the Nepalese sculptures. Buddhist
art flourished during the 2nd century BC. The sculptures of time depicted the life and
times of Gautam Buddha and his teachings. This was when Buddhism actually
started.

The many museums and galleries of Nepal are
home to many valuable Nepalese
sculptures. Noteworthy among them is the Nepal National Musuem, which is
home to numerous sculpture works, paintings and murals. These Nepalese
sculptures depict the kings and queens of the region, their memorablia and the
lifestyle that they followed. Then there is the Nepal Fine Arts Gallery, which
is just a few blocks away from the Patan Durbar Square, holds a number of
traditional paintings and sculptures of the country. A prominent location for
viewing these sculptures is Swoyambhunath. This stupa has many temples and
shrines located around it.

INDIAN
STONE SCULPTURES

India is a country well known for its
monuments and places of worship. The main attraction in these edifices is the Indian stone sculptures. Since India is
home to many natural stones like Redstone, Soapstone, Sandstone, Limestone,
Granite and many others, availability of raw material for making stone
sculptures was never an issue.

Stone is a prominent material in the Indian
landmass, and therefore it is predominantly used to carve out the many forts,
temples, palaces, sculptures, and household items. Prominent among these are
the Indian stone sculptures. Until the 7th century BC, stone
craft was an unorganized profession. During the said date, there were born
several guilds of stone carvers and masons. During the rule of Chandragupta
Maurya, that stone craft reached the zenith of perfection in the country. As
any profession has reference texts for its practice, stone craft had
Shilpshastra. This was an ancient Hindu treatise on sculpture and architecture.

One noteworthy aspect about Indian stone sculpture in the country
is the regional diversity it enjoys. This diversity is born out of the
availability of natural resources in a particular region. Orissa for instance has many intricate and
finely crafted monuments like the Temples of Puri, Konark, Lingaraj,
Parasurameshwar and Mukteshwar. Likewise, in Rajasthan the monuments like
temples, palaces, forts, in regions like Ramgarh, Nagda, Ajmer, Jaisalmer, etc,
out of the locally available metamorphic rocks competes with the latticework in
the regions of Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Bikaner. Kota is famous for the Gray stone, used in
flooring work, Barmer and Ajmer are well known for Yellow stone and granite.

TANTRA
SCULPTURES

India, a country which is a staunch
believer in the divine power, has been practicing yoga and meditation for quite
some time now. Yoga as a discipline evolved in the form of written references
almost 3500 years ago, in the Vedas. These Vedas spoke of the four Yogas namely
Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Raja Yoga. They also spoke of Tantra sculptures

Tantra Yoga, focussing on the devotional
aspects of Bhakti Yoga, came much later.
This discipline focusing on the union of opposites, or the union of the
Shakti male energy with the shiva female energy, speaks about the various
different yoga poses used in this form of yoga. The yoga style teaches
contorting, bending, flexing and deep breathing, all at the same time. This is
done in several poses. Sculptures carved out of any material, depicting these
poses, are termed as Tantra yoga sculptures or Tantra sculptures. Tantra
yoga speaks of the kundalini Shakti, which lies dormant within an individual in
its uninstructed form.

Tantra
sculptures are manifest in two edifices, one “The
Thinker” by Rodin and the other “The Statue of David” by Michelangelo. The first mentioned sculpture was a marble
and bronze monument created by Augustine Rodin, whereas the latter was by
Michelangelo. Whereas in “The Thinker”, the subject is in a seating position,
leaning forward so that his elbows rest on his knees and his hand tucked under
his chin for a look of contemplation, “The Statue of David” is that of King
David displaying his state of mind, when he decides to fight Goliath. Both these sculptures have the signatures of
their makers on them.

WOOD
SCULPTURES

Traditionally, India has been a country
well known for its artistic carvings and sculptures. The natural resources
available in the country like stones, metals, terracotta, marble, wood, etc
help in the carving out of numerous masterpieces from them. Indian sculptures have relied heavily on wood
as a material for their making. This has resulted in many wood sculptures.

Original wood sculptures are both expensive and difficult to find. One needs
to know a whole lot of things before one can buy an original sculpture. Some of
the norms used in order to verify an original are its feel, its look, the maker’s
signature on it, a tag, etc. India has a regional diversity when talking of
Indian sculptures. These sculptures are predominantly found in Karnataka. This
is because Rosewood, Shivani wood, Sandalwood are some of the types of wood
commonly found in the state. Wooden sculptures can have many uses. They can be used as showpieces in showcases,
gifting items, etc.

Making an expensive, stylish, exquisite wood sculpture is an art in
itself. It requires superior workmanship
and accurate tools. Not everyone can be a creator of good sculpture. The preliminary tools used to make
this type of sculpture are a sharp chisel and a small hammer. These sculptures can
be carved out in a variety of designs and motifs. One can carve out one’s own
frame out of the wood, or one can have a model of a bird or animal for
reference. The eagle is the most predominantly used bird for making wooden
sculptures. Other models used are the evening village scenery.

GANESH
STATUES

India is replete with many items of
religious and historical importance. Some of these are its numerous forts,
monuments, temples, caves, etc. Its numerous Indian sculptures are also
considered to have religious and historical importance. Indian sculptures are made from various
materials like wood, stone, bronze, terracotta, metals, etc, depending upon the
natural resources available in the region.

A majority of the above Indian sculptures
are made to depict Indian gods and goddesses. This is due to the affinity of
the average Indian towards religion and religious beliefs. At times, these beliefs also border on blind
faiths. Ganesh is among one of the deities that has been created most of the
times. This has given rise to Ganesh
statues. This Indian god is said to be a “Vignaharta”, which in English
means getting rid of obstacles. Having statues of this god in one’s home offers
one a designated feeling of calmness and piousness. This also makes the
atmosphere very divine.

A typical Ganesh Statues made either from metal, ivory, stone, or any other
material depicts the Lord holding a broken tusk in his lower right hand, which
symbolizes sacrifice, a rosary in his left hand signifying that the quest for
knowledge should be never ending, fan like ears indicating that he is listening
to our petitions with his big ears, his vehicle the mouse, the lowliest of
creatures, signifies his humility. Thus it is evident that by owning the
coveted statues, one is endowed with all the virtues that the Lord strives to
depict, through his statue. Truly, owning Ganesh statues is a privilege in
itself.

BUDDHA
STATUES

Indian statues are traditionally made to
depict animals, birds, gods, goddesses, famous people and their teachings,
instances from the life of common people, the scenery of a beautiful place and
many more. These are made from materials like metal, ivory, glass, bronze,
terracotta, marble, wood, etc.

Buddha
statues also reflect the various virtues and
incidents from the life of Gautama Buddha. “Buddhism” is a discipline that is
taught to attain “Nirvana” or salvation. The teachings of Gautam Buddha
propagate the fact that the root cause of sufferings and unhappiness is one’s
state of mind and perception. The Lord Buddha further goes on to provide a
remedy for these sufferings in Vipassana Meditation. Such statues with different poses are made to
depict this and his other philosophies. The different positions the Buddha
statues are available in are standing Buddha, laughing Buddha, sleeping Buddha,
blessing Buddha, meditating Buddha, teaching Buddha, etc.

Buying and owning the right type of Buddha statues depends upon some key
factors. There are in all 8 factors that are to be looked at when deciding what
type of statues to buy. These are as under: understand why the statue is to be
bought, learn to differentiate a Buddha statue from other religious statues, be
careful from whom to buy the statue, quality authentication by watching face
painting, looking at the ears, checking carvings on the body of the Buddha,
knowing the different types of statues, fill Buddha statues with Holy chanting.
These statues are made in countries like India, China and Nepal.

INDIAN
DOLLS

Toys have been a fancy accessory for kids
and adults alike. A word “toy” traces its antecedents back to the age when the
first mammals inhabited the earth. Most
young mammals have been observed to display behaviour similar to human babies.
They seek out entertainment from their surroundings. Thus it is believed that
toys date back to their times.

Typically dolls are elements that can be
used for various purposes. They can be used as gifting items for birthdays, as
collector items for connoisseurs, as educational tools to depict the culture
and tradition of the region to which they belong, as modes of entertainment for
kids, etc. Indian dolls are
available in a variety of shapes and colours. A variety of materials are also
used to manufacture them. Common materials that are used in its manufacture are
Porcelain, Wood, Cloth, Plastic, PVC, Glass, Metal, Terracotta, etc. These
dolls are available in all types of styles and designs.

These dolls are distinctive in their
appearance as they are represented in a unique way. Native Indian dolls aregiven the dress of a saree and a choli over
it. It is even given a petticoat to wear
under the saree. At times, they are given clothes which depict the dress of the
region from which they come. India being a diverse country has people of
different religions and consequently different dress codes. A doll could wear a
dress of a tribal Indian girl, or a male doll could be sporting a dress fit for
the head of a tribal village.

TERRACOTTA
WARRIORS, TERRACOTTA ARMY, TERRACOTTA SOLDIERS

The well known Dorset Holiday Cottages is
situated in Dorset and it is host to a plethora of tourists coming to Dorset to
view its many special sights. A typical sign in Dorset says “Terracotta
Warriors Museum”. A cursory glance at
the place will reveal that it is the sign for museum housing the famous Terracotta Warriors of China.

The name Terracotta Army represents the 8000 life size figures of the Terracotta Soldiers who were given the
task of accompanying the first Emperor of Unified China, Qin Shi Huang, on his
last journey. These warriors were supposed to guard the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum
complex which was to be created by 700,000 workers, near the city of Xian, in
China. Making the 8000 these soldiersin
clay, all decked in their war clothes turned out to be a difficult task for the
craftsmen of those times. Although these figurines were built in a workshop,
the unique facial features of the members of this armywere designed by the workers manually.

Few places in the world would compare with
the Chinese Emperors Tomb, the Terracotta
Warriors, in China. Although, not as well known as the Great Wall of China,
this monument is a tribute to the 8000 Terracotta
Soldiers of the Terracotta Army who
withstood all types of enemies in order to guard the Mausoleum They did so for
more than 2 millennia. The sight of 8000 soldiers all resplendent in their war finery
is intimidating to behold. There are whispers that the monument was saved as it
was underground, but one just cannot ignore the role that these brave hearts
played.

TERRACOTTA
POTS

Many homes in rural India utilize the
earthen pots to keep their drinking water cool.
The earthen pot is said to maintain the temperature of the water inside
cool, thus giving cool water whenever needed.
Terracotta pots are therefore
increasingly being used by people all over the world.

Terracotta
pots were first utilized to store food by the
Etruscans, from Greece. A famous Greek Historian, Herodolus, has provided
evidence that the Etruscans stored water, olive oil and wine in such pots. Pottery
making made them patient, determined, humble, proud of their customs, adept at
fighting the forces of nature. These pots use the principle of convection
during the process of cooking food. The
water absorbed by the pots when they are submerged in water is utilized to make
the food tender and tasteful when it is being cooked over a coal stove. Hence
they are very useful when cooking food.

The use of TerracotIta pots is made by people all over the world. Not only are
they good cooking tools, but they also are good options for growing plants in
modern gardens. Terracotta has a property that it does not break even during
very low temperatures. This property has made it very useful in the cold
countries as garden pots or as cooking tools. It can even sustain frost. As
they are easy to make a light in weight, These pots are preferred by many
people in their homes, especially by the Etruscans, to store their wines to
cool it before they have it.

INDIAN
BEADS

Thanks to its humungous population, India
has been a country famous for labour intensive jobs worldwide. Be it the coding
of software or data entry in a computer, or for that matter even jewellery
crafting out of precious stones and beads. This list is not exhaustive but
indicative. In other words, India has enjoyed a monopoly in labour intensive
fields since ancient times. It also has rich cultural heritage and traditions.
Ancient Indian jewellery pieces are the cynosure of all eyes. Jewellery made
from Indian beads enjoys the same
popularity. This propensity in the
making of such jewellery is thanks to the skilful craftsmen inhabiting the
country.

As mentioned earlier, in the field of
jewellery making India enjoys a monopoly worldwide. These jewellery items are
made from various raw materials. Indian
beads form an integral part of any Indian jewellery item available in the
world market. This is due to the fact that India produces a variety of beads
namely glass beads, metal beads, wood beads, clay beads, horn beads, ceramic
beads, lac beads and many others. This
list is not exhaustive but indicative. Although, Glass beads control the beads
market in India, other varieties cannot be ignored. The higher end beads are
used for making high end jewellery items fit for the elite class.

The buying of these beads which was
originally done only through trusted jewellers has now gone hi-tech with the
introduction of online retailers. These
retailers have changed the market dynamics drastically and given birth to a new
channel of product distribution. Truly, Indian beads are ones to watch out for
in traditional Indian jewellery.

18K
GOLD BEADS

Traditionally, Indian gold jewellery has
fascinated people both within and outside the country. Indian gold jewellery
can be adorned with many materials. 18k
Gold Beads are just one of the many items used for the same. Gold is an
expensive metal and therefore all jewellery made from it can be afforded only
by the elite class. But adorning this gold jewellery with gold beads makes it
more costly. A technique called as
Electroform has been devised which seeks to make Gold Jewellery affordable for
the common man. This is done by making the gold jewellery pieces hollow, in the
process reducing its weight and the subsequent cost.

With such affordability came demand which
further led to new designs and styles. Decorating Indian gold jewellery with 18k gold beads became commonplace. Now
all types of people wore Indian gold jewellery decorated with such beads more
regularly. Some wore colours matching their outfits, whereas some others wore
outfits to match their jewellery. 18k Indian gold jewellery decorated with these
gold beadswould actually provide
competition to any piece of gold jewellery available in the market. Necklaces are items which are commonly
adorned with gold beads. A necklace is an item worn in the neck by an Indian
woman.

The advantage of wearing Indian jewellery
adorned with 18k gold beads is that
after wearing it, one need not cover oneself with other jewellery items. This
is because the aura created by an Indian jewellery item adorned with gold beads
is comparable to wearing gold jewellery. It acts as a substitute for its
costlier contemporary.

FACETED
GEMS BEADS

Traditional Indian jewellery is made in
different styles and patterns to suit the requirements of the region. The
diversity in Indian jewellery follows the disparity that exists among the
Indian people in terms of ethnic dress codes, Indian jewellery patterns worn,
habits and customs, etc. Faceted gems
beads jewellery is just one of them.

Faceted
gems beads are beads having sharp edges. Normally,
a bead is circular in shape and size. But this bead is not completely spherical
and does not have evenly circulated edges round it. However, the beads are of
equal sizes. Gemstone bead jewellery is cut using a diamond edged blade. This
helps make the edges perfectly sharp and equal. These edges are then painted by
hand to give them a colourful finish. Such beads are primarily used to make
gemstone jewellery to give a perfect look to the silver or gold Indian
jewellery. This style of jewellery has become very popular.

The popularity of such beads can be gauged
from the fact that they are a part of a normal Tuscan Gem and Mineral Show,
which occurs twice every year. This show is said to display jewellery items prepared
by the East Indians. This tribe has the
expertise to create exquisite faceted
gems beads jewellery so much so that they have given a tough competition to
the Chinese, where the gems beads are found in abundance. This type of
jewellery is now also available online through various internet portals which
have invested in e-commerce solutions for online transactions.

FINDINGSBEADS

Indian jewellery is full of traditional
jewellery items made from materials as diverse as gold and gemstones. This
diversity owes itself to the buying capacity of the people and to their customs
and traditions. Just as jewellery beads adorn an item of jewellery, findings beads are responsible for
giving finish to the piece.

Jewellery beads make jewellery more
attractive and flashy. Beads jewellery, which is normally preferred by the
youth, conveys buoyancy to the design of the jewellery. A typical jewellery
bead can be made out of acrylic, glass, metal, shell, crystal, turquoise, and
wood. Beautiful jewellery beads are available online thanks to the opening up
of a new distribution channel in Indian jewellery trade. The only issues in
buying Indian jewellery with findings
beads online are security of the transaction and authenticity of the
jewellery bought. The first factor has been adequately addressed by the
agencies offering online payment gateways and the latter can be addressed by
the customer.

Findings
beads are nothing but the seemingly insignificant
but vitally important parts of any Indian jewellery item. For example, a golden
bracelet would look incomplete without crimp beads. In this case the crimp
beads are classified as jewellery findings. Their role in contemporary Indian
jewellery designs cannot be overlooked. Typical items of such jewellery are
earring wires, crimp beads, eye pins, headpins and clasps. These can be of
silver or sterling silver. Just as crimp beads are used in Indian beads
jewellery, earring wires allow one to design “eardrop” style designs, with a
bead or a pearl attached.

GEMSTONE
BEADS

Indian jewellery, down the years has been
the most coveted items of the world among people. This can be attributed to the
superior craftsmanship of their makers and their traditional value. Gemstone beads are also one of the
items used for the making of traditional Indian jewellery.

During the ancient times, traditional
Indian jewellery was made by hand by the skilful craftsmen of the time. The
skill and patience required for this vocation was immense and therefore Indian
craftsmen were respected and admired worldwide. These workers were responsible
for stringing together the gemstone beads
in a sequence such that it forms a necklace or a bracelet fit for wearing. These
beads are beautiful pieces which represent the art and design style of a
particular region of the country. They are designed according to the tastes of
the end user of the jewellery. Making
them is not an easy task to accomplish.

Gemstone
beads are available in a variety of styles,
colours, shapes and sizes. Typical styles are the classic and the vintage
styles and the fashionable styles. These different styles cater to people from
different age groups. For example, fashionable styles are preferred by people
from the younger generation who would want to look attractive and draw
attention towards them. On the other hand, the vintage styles are favourites
with the older people. Thus these beads carved out in intricate designs of
flora, fauna are very popular among the youth. Whereas, the older generation go
for the ancient beads depicting deities and abstract art.

GOLD
PLATED BEADS

From the ancient times, Indian gold
jewellery has caught the fancy of the locals and the foreigners. But the bare
fact is that this soft metal cannot be afforded by anyone and everyone.
Therefore traditional gold jewellery made of pure gold was only worn by the
elite class and that too during religious ceremonies, where they had to portray
their status in society. This obsession
with Indian gold jewellery led to the birth of gold plated jewellery, and
further gold plated beads jewellery.
Indian jewellery items like the tikka ornate with gold plated beads, the waist
band decorated with gold plated beads along the periphery, are commonly worn
during marriage ceremonies. During the birth of a child, most women wear a
charm bracelet, adorned with plated beads.

A variety of body piercing Indian jewellery
decorated with these beads are popular
among the women. The navel is one of the most sensual and erogenous portion of
a female’s body. An exposed navel always turns heads. In the olden days, women
belonging to the Marwari community wore a Ghaghara and choli such that they
exposed their navels. These exposed navels were covered with Indian jewellery
items like body piercing jewellery. The navel ring covered with gold plated beads, captive bead rings,
barbells and labarets are some such items of Indian jewellery covered which
create an aura round the wearer. These navel rings are made from a variety of
materials like surgical steel, titanium rings, rings with charms on them and
captive rings covered with beads.

PRECIOUS
BEADS

Deciding the type of gemstone beads to work
with, from a plethora of available options is similar to deciding which hair to
pull out from the head. But with the choice of beads having been made, this
confusion has been done away with. Precious beads are gemstone beads made
from precious stones.

Gemstones are said to be the traditionally
found precious stones. They have found applications in many areas from the
ancient times from jewellery making to future gazing and in healing. There is
no area of civilisation that has not been touched by these precious beads. Apart from being a conduit for the divine and
possessing healing powers, they are also used in the making of traditional
Indian jewellery items. At times, the jewellery is made barely from gemstone
beads, which are themselves made from precious stones The making of these beads
can be accomplished either at home or in a workshop.

When precious
beads are made at home, invariably polished stones are used for the
purpose. That is not to say that unpolished stone will not fit the bill. As a
matter of fact, the latter will make for a really pretty picture too. Working on manipulating beads requires
special apparatus like a workbench, a small vice, When this apparatus is ready,
the beads can be mounted on the vice, holding it securer using a padding
material between the vice and the bead. Now one can drill in the bead in order
to make a hole in it for stringing it.

STERLING
SILVER BEADS

Gemstones are widely used in the making of
traditional Indian jewellery since the ancient times. These are available in
two varieties namely naturally occurring and the manmade variety. The former is
used in the making of Indian jewellery, whereas the latter being soft finds its
application in other uses. A noteworthy gemstone used in the manufacture of traditional
Indian jewellery is sterling silver. At times sterling silver beads are also used to manufacture jewellery items.
They can add style, panache and class to any item of traditional Indian
jewellery like necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc. These beads are also used
in combination with some other materials for jewellery. Such jewellery can be
classified as “fashionable” and “classy” in normal parlance.

Sterling silver being a metal can go with
any item of traditional Indian jewellery of any colour. The metallic look
provided by the sterling silver jewellery would make the attire look fantastic
and elegant. Many varieties of sterling
silver beads are available for use in the market. There are the tiny little
beads called as the spacer beads, which do exactly that, space out the design
elements in a traditional Indian jewellery item. These beads can also be used
to revamp an old design in traditional Indian jewellery. Stringing together
some beads of this variety and adding it to an existing traditional jewellery
piece not only lends a new look to the item, but it also makes it look more
contemporary and stylish. These beads are available in a variety of colours,
shapes and styles.

About Me

I am a graduate civil engineer with 15 years of industry experience and a diploma in construction contracts management.

I am also a freelance article writer. I can write articles on all topics ranging from project management, civil engineering, procurement, human resources, marketing, finance, health and well being, social media, etc.